This novel is rich in both language and plot. It was translated from the original Spanish in a masterful fashion by Lucia Graves. The blurb on the front cover of the paperback edition quotes Stephen King saying, "One gorgeous read," and he's spot on. The story harkens back to 19th-century literature with its complicated plot twists and turns, the role of fate, and social class. The language follows suit, being more often lyrical than straightforward, and at times almost flowery.
The main characters are wonderful, and some are truly characters, like Daniel’s friend and colleague Fermín. He is described a small, wiry man with a big nose and big ears whose manner of speech outstrips his size. Opinionated on all things, especially the political, he gives Daniel advice in love, and moves the story forward where Daniel, left to his own devices, might have been more cautious.
Daniel himself, who is the narrator, is a sympathetic character. He is hard on himself yet self-aware. He thinks himself a coward, but others see him as brave, and he keeps us guessing to the end which he really is.
Daniel's life is taken over by the life of Julian Carax, because that story had not ended by the time Daniel entered it. While being a story of love and fate, The Shadow of the Wind is essentially a mystery, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón reveals details slowly to Daniel, so the reader cannot know exactly where he is headed.
Zafón does a fine job in turning a complicated, old-fashioned story into a page-turner, and Graves did it justice in her translation. The Shadow of the Wind is both a gorgeous read and a satisfying one, enjoyable from start to finish.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!